Delegates from the Southwest Mississippi Partnership recently visited the Trent Lott National Center to begin the process of developing a polymer cluster following the states's Blueprint Mississippi strategic plan. Southern Miss faculty members Brent Hales and Chad Miller discussed the latest research on industrial cluster development. They also presented data compiled by graduate assistants Fang Fang and Smita Nepal on the economy of southwest Mississippi, as well as the plastics/chemicals industries in Mississippi. The delegates also received a briefing from Bryan Brister of the Mississippi Polymer Institute and they took a tour of The University of Southern Mississippi Accelerator.

MANUFACTURING A CRITICAL SECTOR IN PINE BELT -BY DR. BRIAN RICHARD

It is common for local leaders to say that health care and education drive the local economy here in Hattiesburg. The numbers support these assertions. Since 2006, those two broad sectors have been among the top in job growth in the region, adding about 1,200 and 900 jobs respectively. However, don't discount manufacturing as a critical sector in the Hattiesburg region. While manufacturing jobs don't make up a significant portion of the regions employment, the sector is critical for bringing in new wealth. Long-standing operations such as Kohler Engines, newly-opened facilities such as Stion, and even the future opening of a GE Aviation plant in Ellisville all bring income into the region. LEARN MORE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS - LEAN & GREEN LOGISTICS

Reverse logistics refers to supply chain activities after the point of sale. It deals with the handling of damaged, unsold, or returned goods for the purpose of capturing value efficiently and/or proper disposal to reduce the environmental impact. Many companies are embracing the lean and green aspect of reverse logistics to create a competitive advantage. In the latest issue of Public Works Management & Policy. Center for Logistics, Trade and Transportation faculty Chad Miller and MD Sarder use a supply chain model of the electronics industry in the Dallas, Texas region to show that reverse logistics can have significant economic development implications. LEARN MORE | VIEW CHART